Stazzano: sights, history and trails

Stazzano is located at the confluence of the Borbera and the Scrivia, near the last reaches of the Ligurian Apennines which in the municipal territory culminate in Colle Albarasca (601 m) and end with the Mount Spineto (468 m) home to a famous Marian sanctuary, just before the Novese plain.

The coat of arms and banner of the municipality of Stazzano were granted by decree of the President of the Republic of 9 January 1964.^[4]

The banner is a red and yellow banner.

The castle of Stazzano, built in medieval times and part of the heritage of the bishops of Tortona, was enlarged by Monsignor de' Zanzii in 1505, requisitioned during the Napoleonic period, and was then transformed into a diocesan seminary (1849-1869), given that that of Tortona it had been temporarily requisitioned by the State and used as a barracks for the troops fighting against Austria, since 1994 it has been a residence for the elderly. Next to it stands the sanctuary of the Sacred Heart, by the architect Giulio Leale. The church with three naves, separated by granite columns, has stucco coffered vaults.

The sanctuary of Monte Spineto stands on the top of themountain of the same name (459 m). Soldiers of Federico Barbarossa sacked Stazzano in 1155, setting fire to the castle and forcing the inhabitants to flee to Mount Spineto, where they invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary and saved themselves. Later a chapel was built for the protection received, but over time it ended up forgotten. In 1620 French troops threatened Stazzano again and the population took refuge on the hill, where a deaf and dumb girl saw a dove resting on a hawthorn bush, which flowers out of season while the young girl regained her speech^[6]. Thus in 1633 the construction of the sanctuary began, commissioned by the bishop of Tortona Paolo Arese (1620-1640), who decreed that the main altar should be built on the spot where the hawthorn had grown. The mountain was since then called Monte Spineto; the current sanctuary has three naves, with three altars, the facade is nineteenth-century; between 1839 and 1840 the sanctuary underwent work in the presbytery, in 1853 the exposed stone bell tower was built, in 1866 the side naves were built and the facade was decorated, framed by pilasters and surmounted by the Marian monogram. Inside there are frescoes and stuccoes in phytomorphic genres, which frame the lunettes with the Mysteries of the Rosary, and the roundel of the presbyter of Miracle of the Dove. In 1875 the main altar was built which houses a statue of the Madonna with Child from 1629, furthermore there are some seventeenth and eighteenth century paintings and many votive offerings (now moved to a room next to the sacristy), as well as a crutch used by Don Orione (later sanctified) to reach the sanctuary. In 1929 the hospice was inaugurated. The sanctuary was renovated during the sixties and has recently undergone further restoration and modernization.

The Civic Museum of Natural History located inside Villa Gardella. There are five exhibition rooms.^[7]

Inhabitants registered^[9]

In the country, 31 inhabitants are Romanians out of 69 foreigners, according to the ISTAT census of 31 December 2007.

• A.S.D. Stazzano Calcio

• A.S.D. Motoclub Boar's Nest - FMI